A Month of Us
by marshmallowfairies
Summary: They are Sasuke and Sakura. Their relationship is love and hate, passion and indifference, joy and tragedy. They have many stories, and their own month in which to tell them.
1. Far From Home

Far From Home

Indistinct shouts, the rustling of leaves, the snapping of twigs: the sounds of pursuit echoed behind her. Frantically, she increased her speed. After her mission, she couldn't take them all on at once. If she was going to attempt it, she needed a better location.

Sakura burst through the trees and landed neatly on her feet. She had arrived on the bank of a river. It still wasn't an ideal battleground but maybe she could use the river to aid an escape. If she used a transformation jutsu before getting in the water, they might not put two and two together. After all, they didn't seem the brightest…

Raising her hands to perform the necessary seals, she took a step towards the water…

"Sakura."

Green eyes snapped up in the direction of the voice, towards the other side of the river and inwardly, Sakura groaned. Of all the times to run into her former teammate, now was not ideal.

He gazed across at her, familiar smirk on his face. "You're far from home," he remarked.

Sakura gritted her teeth but had no time to reply. The sounds of her pursuers reached her ears once again and she knew she was out of time. Eyes still locked on Sasuke's, she didn't miss how his eyes narrowed as the band of rogue ninja burst out of the woodland and onto the riverbank.

"Ha, we've got her boys. Who wants a shot before we hand-?!" The missing nin didn't get a chance to finish his crude suggestions. Sakura hadn't even seen Sasuke move. One second, she was holding his gaze and the next, he had disappeared. By the time she had turned around, he had already knocked out three of her would-be captors.

Frozen in place, the kunoichi could only watch as the pitiful missing ninja fell one by one. It sickened her to think that she didn't have the strength and chakra to take them on by herself right now. In the right environment, if she hadn't tried to return to the village before letting her chakra restore itself, she could probably have ended a fight against the band of rogues with one swift punch.

As the last opponent fell to the ground with a grunt, Sasuke turned towards his former teammate, returning Kusanagi to its sheath.

Sakura assumed a defensive stance. Even being closer to the river than he was right now she couldn't outrun him. Although she couldn't beat him either, she wasn't going to go down without a fight. She hadn't trained so hard for so long to just weakly submit to him when the time came.

Sasuke smirked as he drew nearer, making no move to attack her, and Sakura was thrown. He stopped in front of her, gazing down into her eyes.

"You're far from home," he repeated. "And you're on your own."

Eyes widened and she pulled her fist back, ready to drive it into his ribcage. However she was still looking into his eyes when they bled red, tomoe spinning, and her world went black.

**Author's Note: **I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm just a month late with starting the 2019 prompts but I'm still looking to complete them. All chapters will feature one shots with a mixture of OOC, AU and more traditional SasuSaku. I hope you'll stick with me and enjoy the different stories.


	2. Patterns

**Disclaimer**: I forgot to add one on the first chapter. I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. I only own the content of these one shots.

Patterns

His life was comfortable, satisfying. He had routines from his Monday to Friday 9.00-5.00 job to his sessions at the gym three times a week after work, from his Sunday afternoon food shop to his Monday evening pick-up from the dry cleaners.

Even when there wasn't a routine per se, there were usually patterns. When he went out on a Friday night after work, he would inevitably pick up a girl in whichever bar or club he frequented that night. They always approached him, and there was little effort on his part- they were all too eager to please him. He rarely remembered their name, or even their face. They were all much the same- pretty, confident, trying to charm him. He had never let any of them get too attached and none of them had ever met his family. Despite Mikoto's many enquiries, Sasuke usually just told his Mother that his most recent relationship hadn't worked out. He would never admit to her that he had one-night stands, not relationships.

His Friday night saw him in a newly opened club. He was at the bar and his eyes scanned the venue over the top of his glass. The music thumped loudly, and the dancefloor was crowded, everyone jostling each other as they moved to the music. A tall brunette with dark eyes near the edge of the floor winked across at him. She swayed her hips as he watched but stumbled into a guy dancing nearby, who helped to steady her. By the time that she had looked back to the bar, Sasuke had turned away. If she wasn't sober, he wasn't interested.

He looked along the bar and realized a group of girls had gathered at a spot further along the bar from him. One of them, petite with pink hair, glanced over at him a few times. He smirked as she picked up her glass, spoke to her friends and then approached him. He always let them come to him.

She stopped in front of him, a polite smile on her face. He continued to smirk as he wondered how she was going to proceed. Would she go for the bold approach, asking straight up if he was single? Or would she start more conventionally, asking his name? With the polite smile, he guessed the latter.

"Are you okay?"

Sasuke blinked, his smirk gone in an instant. This was not an opening line that he was used to, and all he could manage in response was, "Huh?"

Yet she was still smiling. "You were looking around as though you were waiting for somebody, or you'd lost who you came in with. I thought maybe you needed someone to talk to? I'm happy to lis-…"

"What are you? A psychologist?" he interrupted, turning away and draining his glass, annoyed at her impertinence.

The girl didn't look offended. If anything, her smile grew bigger. "Nope, that's my friend," she replied with a glance at the group of friends that she had come in with. "Well, a psychology student anyway. And I'm studying medicine."

He looked at her again, trying to slot this new information into his perception of her. He then glanced at her friends, wondering which one was the psychology student. Only one was watching them- the platinum blonde. The look on her face was familiar, something in her baby blue eyes that suggested she wanted to eat him for breakfast. That was never the case. He inevitably had them eating out of the palm of his hand before the night was through.

"Do you want me to introduce you?" He dropped his gaze back to the girl beside him. Her smile was even bigger, lighting up her whole face and making her striking green eyes sparkle.

"Tsk," he frowned down at her. "You're…" He stopped himself, deciding that he didn't want to be responsible for a crying girl.

"I'm what?" she pushed. He should have known that she wouldn't let it drop. She had her head titled to the side, one eyebrow pulled down slightly as though she were merely curious about what his impression of her was.

He continued to scowl down at her. "Annoying."

She blinked, staring back at him with wide eyes while he waited to see what her reaction would be. It was rare that he ever resorted to insulting a girl but on the few occasions that he had done it, they had all had one of two reactions: tears, or shouting. Both caused a brief scene but they always stormed off after and Sasuke would get the peace that he desired.

However this girl hadn't followed any of the patterns that he was familiar with so far and she didn't disappoint now. She burst out laughing. He watched her in confusion and decided that she was an anomaly, from her unique colourings to her unpredictable responses.

"What's that?" he asked abruptly, nodding at her drink. She stopped laughing and followed his gaze.

"Vodka, blackcurrant and lemonade," she answered, holding the nearly empty glass up closer for him to see.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Finally, something predictable- it was such a typical student drink. He raised a hand to attract the barmaid's attention. "Two Grey Goose with sparklng water," he requested, handing money over as he placed the order. He could feel the girl's eyes on him as she finished her drink before turning her attention to the returning barmaid. He waved away the change and the barmaid gave a flirtatious smile. His companion opened her mouth to place an order but the barmaid turned away to serve a group of guys. The girl scowled at her until she saw the glass being slid along the bar to rest in front of her.

"What's this?" she asked, sounding startled.

"A drink," Sasuke smirked. "I'm Sasuke Uchiha."

He expected a blush, maybe even a squeal. He didn't expect narrowed eyes. "I'm not going to sleep with you just because you bought me a drink," she stated.

Sasuke could tell that she meant it but he also realized that he didn't care. He was starting to enjoy this girl's unpredictability. He found the change refreshing, and it made the usual patterns he was accustomed to seem boring.

"That's a bit of a mouthful," he answered. "What do your friends call you?"

The girl blinked in surprise once again, then laughed. "Sakura Haruno."

Sasuke raised his glass and held it towards her. "Pleased to meet you," he said. As she clinked her glass against his, that beautiful smile still on her face, Sasuke looked forward to actually spending time getting to know a girl. Mikoto might even get to meet her.


	3. Medicine

Medicine

The sound of coughing from the other room was muffled as though the person were trying to disguise it. Sasuke sighed as he lifted the tray from the worktop and made his way through to the guest bedroom where his 'patient' was resting. Suddenly the coughing cut off altogether and Sasuke snorted. She had probably heard his footsteps and was determined to make him believe that she was fine.

Using his hip to help balance the tray, Sasuke slid the door open and entered. Balled up tissues littered the bedside unit while the patient was propped up on pillows in the bed wearing an oversized dark T-shirt. Pink hair was loosely pulled back in a messy bun and green eyes were glazed. Sasuke couldn't help but note the irony. Sakura could bring a ninja back from the brink of death. She could knit bones back together, remove deadly poisons that destroyed the organs and form an antidote to treat them, and heal injuries that any other medical ninja would declare were fatal. Yet the common cold had bested her.

And it was true what they said. The best medics made the worst patients. It had taken Tsunade threatening two years of D-rank missions and a year of going over the basics of medical ninjutsu that she had learned at the age of twelve, and Sasuke still had to physically drag Sakura out of the hospital. He decided to take her to his house instead of hers. It was the only way that he could be sure that she would actually rest and not try to sneak back into the hospital.

Her glazed green eyes narrowed as he placed the tray on her lap before she turned her attention to the food and drink sat before her.

"Is that-?" she began, lifting the spoon absently and pointing it towards the bowl of steaming soup.

"Chicken soup," he finished, dragging a chair over to the side of the bed.

She seemed to be having some sort of internal battle, the spoon hovering over the soup. "Honestly Sasuke, I'm fine."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Sakura, just eat the soup."

His teammate pouted but her curiosity about Sasuke's culinary skills was pushing her to at least try it. Yet Sakura couldn't help but feel that if she ate the soup, she was losing some imaginary battle, conceding defeat, admitting that she was sick.

Seeing that she was teetering on the edge of a decision, Sasuke added, "It's my Mother's recipe. When Itachi and I didn't want to take medicine, she made that soup. That was our alternative."

Sakura gazed at him in surprise, then frowned. "So, if I don't eat the soup…" she started.

"I'll go get the medicine," he finished.

She scowled. "There isn't medicine for the cold." Then her eyes widened.

Sasuke smirked. "I thought you weren't sick."

Muttering under her breath, Sakura raised the spoon to her mouth. As she swallowed, she looked at Sasuke. The heat was welcome and she could just taste the chicken. "It's good," she told him with a smile.

He nodded and picked up the steaming mug from the tray. "Try this. Fennel seeds, mint, grated ginger and lemon."

Sakura took the cup from him and sipped. The fluid slid down her throat and Sakura sighed. She didn't even realise that she had closed her eyes until she felt something touch her forehead and she snapped them open. Sasuke's face was right in front of hers, two fingers touching her forehead.

"Eat as much as you can. I'll be back in a bit."

Sakura watched him walk away. There was no medicine for the cold but getting taken care of by Sasuke Uchiha certainly worked for her.


	4. City Lights

City Lights

The sounds of the city were muffled in the small apartment, and Sakura rolled onto her other side once again with one arm tucked under her pillow and the other resting in front of her body. Eyes flickered open to check the clock beside her bed. The numbers flashed 2.05am.

With an irritated sigh, Sakura threw the covers off and pushed herself upright. Some nights, it felt like her mind was on overdrive and, no matter what she tried, sleep simply wouldn't come.

Pulling on a hoodie and slipping her feet into her sliders, Sakura stepped onto her balcony. Sparing a brief glance for the city below her, she wandered over to the fire escape. Noting that her sliders were not the most suitable footwear for climbing up ladders, she flicked them off again and stuffed them into the pocket of her hoodie, before stepping onto the first rung of the ladder to begin her ascent.

She was soon pulling herself onto the roof and donning her sliders once more to block out the cold of the concrete on the soles of her feet. Looking up, she realised how cloudy it was. The stars were all hidden. However, that didn't matter to Sakura. She turned her gaze back down to the city below. She found some comfort in the city lights. From the roof of her apartment building, she felt as though she were looking at stars below her. Somehow this always seemed to help soothe her restless mind on a sleepless night.

A shuffling sound behind her made Sakura tense but she soon relaxed as a familiar figure leaned against the railing beside her. The tall frame and uniquely spiked hair could only belong to Sasuke Uchiha. The pair had first met each other on this very rooftop.

"Can't sleep?" she asked. He shook his head. He didn't ask her why she was there. He didn't need to. In fact, they didn't need to exchange many words at all. They had grown used to sharing each other's company on the rooftop of the apartment block that they shared. They both found comfort in looking out at the city lights, and in the quiet companionship that they had formed through their mutual habit of looking out over the city at night.


	5. Festival

Festival

Music could be only faintly heard over the excited chatter and laughter of the villagers wandering from stall to stall. Scents from different food vendors hung on the air, while the shouts of merchants coaxing passers-by to peruse their goods echoed.

Amidst the revelers, Sasuke and Naruto scowled in opposite directions. All of the rookie nine and Team Gai had decided to attend the firework festival with their teammates while the sensei had made plans of their own. Yet while Sasuke and Naruto were at Team Seven's appointed meeting place, Sakura had failed to turn up.

"It's not like Sakura to be late," Naruto murmured, craning to try and pick pink hair out from the crowd.

Sasuke didn't reply but he too quietly surveyed the area around them. He didn't see any reason to be worried but there was a strange feeling gnawing away at him.

"Sorry I'm late!" Both boys turned at the sound of their teammate's voice. Not in her usual attire, Sakura still managed to look elegant as she ran towards them in a pale blue yukata, carefully embroidered with pink and white flowers. Stopping beside them and breathing heavily, she gave them both a big smile before producing a small wooden box in each hand. "Here, I wanted to give both of you a gift for the festival."

Both boys reached for the box nearest to them and it was only once he held it in his own hands that Sasuke realized the quality of the gift in his hand. On the lid, the crest of the Uchiha clan had been engraved in great detail. He lifted the lid to reveal six shiruken- his preferred weapon. He glanced at Naruto, whose box contained two kunai. By tilting his head, he glimpsed the lid of Naruto's box. It showed the village emblem.

"Wow Sakura, thank you!" the blond exclaimed. He lifted his face towards the pinkette, looking slightly crestfallen. "But I didn't get you anything."

However Sakura only smiled. "I didn't expect anything. I heard about a stall that was doing custom-made weapons box designs and I thought you would both like them."

Naruto grinned. "Sakura, you're the best! Dinner's on me. Ramen?" He reached for Sakura's hand, turning to lead the way and failing to notice Sasuke's scowl.

Sakura had begun to follow but then resisted as she inhaled. "Mmm, grilled squid!" she sang. "Let's have that instead."

Grudgingly Naruto agreed, allowing Sakura to tow him along. Meanwhile Sasuke followed along in sullen silence. If Naruto was paying for Sakura, he would have to find another way of saying thank you, as well as having to pay for his own grilled squid.

Team Seven ate their fill, and they too browsed the stalls that had popped up around the village. Sasuke observed his female teammate as she seemed to look at items with no real desire, as though there was nothing that she really wanted.

Approaching a jewellery stall, Naruto moaned that there was nothing cool and continued on to the next stall. However Sakura seemed fixated on one particular necklace. A six-petalled pink crystal flower hung delicately from a silver chain. Gently grazing her fingers over the stones, the kunoichi spoke briefly with the stallholder. Abruptly she drew her hand away, looked once more at the necklace and then made to follow Naruto. Falling into step beside her, Sasuke didn't fail to notice his teammate casting one last look of longing over her shoulder.

At the river bank, Team Seven met the rest of the rookie nine and Team Gai to watch the firework display altogether. The night sky was filled with beautiful colours, reflected in the eyes of the young ninja, and when a gust of wind caused Sakura to shiver involuntarily, both Naruto and Sasuke took an unconscious step closer to their female teammate.

"That was beautiful," Sakura sighed as they made their way home. Sasuke was the first to part ways, murmuring a thank you to Sakura for his gift. He watched his teammates out of sight before making a slight detour.

"Sakura, are you sure you don't want me to walk you home?" Naruto asked hopefully but his crush shook her head.

"It's only a little bit further. Besides you might even have time for some instant ramen before bed if you go now."

Blue eyes lit up and Naruto didn't need to be told twice. Sakura laughed as he nearly tripped over his own feet in his haste to get back to his apartment.

She was still smiling when she stepped into her bedroom, thinking of how wonderful a night it had been. Then she spotted her curtain fluttering in the wind and she tensed. She definitely hadn't left her balcony door open.

Grabbing a kunai, she edged closer to the door and then yanked the curtain back. There was no-one there. The balcony was empty but for a small black box. Stooping down, Sakura picked it up and flipped it open. Her eyes widened and she gasped. Inside was the necklace she had been admiring- the one she had realized she couldn't afford. She looked around once more but with no sign of anyone, Sakura returned to her bedroom, necklace in hand and smile on her face.

From his spot on the roof, Sasuke smirked before hopping onto the next roof in the direction of the Uchiha compound.


	6. Sharp Edges

Sharp Edges

The sound of her heart thudding wildly in her chest seemed so loud to Sakura, she was surprised it wasn't echoing off the walls.

'_He's not supposed to be here,_' her inner screamed at her. '_The source said they should have moved on two days ago._'

However, Sakura had already confirmed that this was no genjutsu and though he had changed, Sasuke Uchiha really was standing in front of her. In the years since she had last seen him, he had grown taller, the muscles were more defined, and the boyish features had become sharper and more masculine. If she was not in such a dangerous predicament, she would be swooning over those sharp features- how they had made the handsome boy she had known even more attractive.

As it was, she was more concerned about the sharp edge of the kunai pressed against her throat.

"Why are you here?" he demanded.

'_That's what I should be asking you!_' she wanted to scream at him, but she held herself in check. This was, after all, part of her mission and to give away any information to an enemy ninja, even if it was Sasuke, would be to betray the village. Stubbornly, she scowled at her former teammate and said nothing.

Sasuke returned a scowl of his own and pressed the kunai closer to her throat. Sakura's eyes widened and a bead of sweat ran from her temple, down her cheek and dropped to the floor. Feeling that his point had been made, Sasuke tried again. "I suggest you cooperate."

Sakura chewed the inside of her cheek, trying to gauge what she could and couldn't say with the best chance of survival yet without compromising the village. Eventually, she settled for confirming what she could reasonably assume he already knew. "I had a mission to infiltrate this base."

Although he had suspected as much, he raised his eyebrows in surprise. "They sent you? That was stupid. If they knew this was a sound base, there was always a chance I would be here."

Sakura opened her mouth and closed it again. It wouldn't do any good to say that they had information that he had been there but had moved on. It would compromise their source. However, Sasuke had seen the movement and was waiting for her to speak. She had little choice but to say something. "That's why I used a transformation jutsu."

She was surprised when he pulled the kunai away with a snort. She felt a droplet run down her throat where the sharp blade had nicked her skin. Sasuke returned the weapon to his pouch, levelling her with a look that questioned her intelligence. "You really thought that would work? That I wouldn't recognise your chakra?"

When he put it like that, it really did seem stupid. Konoha could have sent anyone but they sent her. Even if they had been told he wasn't supposed to be there, their source was a former sound nin- hardly the most reliable. She looked at the floor, biting her lower lip so hard that she drew blood.

Suddenly a hand closed around her throat, forcing her face up. She gazed into his onyx eyes that looked more troubled than malicious. "We move out tomorrow," he told her.

"We?" she choked out and the hand relieved some pressure but remained on her neck.

Sasuke smirked. "Of course. You're too valuable a prisoner to leave behind." With that, he dropped his hand and walked away, leaving Sakura alone.

'_Prisoner,_' she thought despairingly. She felt as though that sharp kunai had been embedded in her gut.


	7. One of These Nights

One of These Nights

"One of these nights, I'm not gonna be here," he told her.

They were walking along side by side, her tottering in her heels wearing his too-big-for-her jacket with the sleeves dangling past her hands while he had his hands shoved in his pockets. At that statement, she looked at him with a frown. "Well that's dark," she muttered.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I mean I won't be on the same night out as you. You never make arrangements for getting home."

Her green eyes gleamed, a smile breaking across her face. "It doesn't matter if you're not out Sasuke," she sang. "I'd just call you."

Sasuke groaned. He knew Sakura well enough to know that she meant it. He glanced at his watch- it was nearly 3.00am. He stopped, turning to face her and she mirrored him. Her playfulness disappeared as she took in the serious expression on his face.

"Sakura, I'm serious. You don't think it's a big deal, but you shouldn't be walking home on your own. Anything could happen and-!" Sasuke cut off when he felt her hand on his chest from underneath his overlong sleeve.

"Sasuke, I promise if you're ever not there, I'll find someone else to walk me home, or I'll find some other means of getting home safely, okay?"

His eyes searched her face. She had been drinking but she wasn't drunk, and she wasn't just trying to placate him. There was a sincerity in her eyes and Sasuke nodded, turning to continue their walk to her apartment.

About a month later, the group had another night out but Sasuke already had plans to visit his parents out of town. He couldn't quite quash the feeling of unease that had taken hold of him. He had to speak to Sakura.

She picked up on the third ring. "Naruto told me you're not going on Saturday. I've already made him promise to walk me home. Satisfied?"

He couldn't help but smirk. Even if that anxious feeling wasn't entirely dispelled, he had to admit that he felt better for knowing that Naruto would be looking out for Sakura. The blond cared about her and wouldn't break his promise. If Sasuke couldn't be there, Naruto was the next best option.

When he was woken up by his phone vibrating on his bedside unit at 2.00am, his first instinct was to be frustrated that she'd got so drunk that she'd forgotten he was out of town, then proud that she was making good on her promise.

"Sasuke," the voice on the other end was decidedly masculine, and raw. Sasuke checked the caller ID and pressed the phone back to his ear, suddenly wide awake. "I'm so sorry!"

Within twenty minutes, he was pulling out of his parents' driveway, a quick text sent to Itachi to explain and a promise to call their parents in the morning. He had to get back to the city, to be by her side. '_How could this have happened?_'

Every corridor of the hospital seemed to stretch on and on, like a taunt that he still wasn't with her. Eventually he found the private room and threw the door open. Naruto stood up so fast, his chair was knocked over but whatever he was babbling about was lost on Sasuke.

The steady beeping confirmed that, lifeless as she looked, she was still here, still fighting. A mask covered the lower part of her face but didn't hide the black eye and the nasty graze down the right side of her face. Her right arm was in a splint and there was an IV in her left arm.

Sasuke pulled up a chair of his own, not taking his eyes off her for a second. Naruto was still babbling but Sasuke needed him to start from the beginning.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice a rasp, choked with the same raw emotion that he had first heard in Naruto's voice almost two hours ago.

The blond dropped into the chair that he had righted and set next to Sasuke's and took a great shuddering breath. "We were outside the club. She was right beside me and then Kiba said something stupid. I was so busy arguing with him, I didn't even realise she wasn't there anymore until there were screams, then a bang and-…" Naruto couldn't finish as the sobs escaped him.

Sasuke was angry. He had trusted Naruto to look out for her when he couldn't and he had failed. Yet he couldn't bring himself to shout and rage at him- not when his dopey best friend looked so broken.

Naruto roughly wiped the tears from his eyes. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I promised that I would protect her. I-!" This time it was Sasuke who cut him off.

"It wasn't your fault," he interrupted, not wanting to hear apologies. "Do her parents know?"

"I finally got hold of them half an hour ago. They're going to catch the first flight that they can."

Sasuke nodded, casting a sideways glance at Naruto. "Go home Naruto. Get some sleep."

Before Naruto could protest, a muffled voice interjected, "And a shower. You stink!"

Both boys half rose, gazing at the girl who blinking rapidly as she tried to let her eyes adjust to the light of the room. Lifting her left hand to her face, she removed the mask and smiled at the boys by her side. "Hey."

Sasuke's hand automatically covered hers, trying to push the mask back on her face. Meanwhile Naruto started crying again. "Sakura, I'm so sorry."

Sakura swatted Sasuke's hand away, scowling at him before turning to Naruto. "Naruto, it wasn't your fault. I saw those boys hassling that girl on her own and I marched right over to try and defend her. I didn't think that idiot would _punch _me!" She sounded so indignant, Sasuke was torn between smacking his hand to his forehead and throttling her.

"If a guy punched you," Sasuke interjected, placing the mask back over her mouth with one hand while holding Naruto back to prevent him from crushing her in a hug with the other, "how did you end up getting hit by a car? Why were you on the road?"

At this question, her scowl deepened and the heart monitor began to beep wildly. Unconsciously, Sasuke began to trace small circles on the back of her hand with this thumb and the beeping slowed to a more natural rhythm.

She pulled the mask off again. "He punched me pretty hard and I wasn't braced for it, so I stumbled backwards. It all happened so quickly, I guess the driver didn't have time to stop. I don't really remember…" she trailed off. Then her eyes found Naruto once more, who was welling up again. "Naruto, go and get some rest. Please?"

The blond wiped his eyes, lightly squeezed her lower leg- the closest part of her he could reach- and smiled. "I'll be back soon," he promised.

"Smell you later," she grinned. "Oh, and Naruto, bring some good food. I know what they serve in here and I'm not eating it!"

"I'll get you Ichiraku takeaway," he shouted as he disappeared into the corridor and Sakura laughed before wincing, her hand reaching for her ribs.

Sasuke scooted closer but Sakura smiled to play it down. "Broken ribs, huh?"

He nodded. "Cracked ribs, fractured wrist. They thought you might have punctured a lung, hence the mask," he added, pressing it over her face again. "And plenty of bruising."

Sakura sighed and they were silent for a time. Sasuke was starting to drift off when her voice roused him once more. "I thought you were out of town?"

He blinked at her as she gave him a scrutinizing look before he answered. "Naruto called me. I came straight back."

She looked horrified. "I ruined your weekend," she moaned, heartbeat climbing once more. "I tried so hard too!" At Sasuke's quizzical look, she elaborated, "I didn't drink too much. I didn't go anywhere by myself, not even the ladies! Well, until-!"

Sasuke laughed, reaching his hand over to cup the side of her face. Sakura's eyes were wide and questioning. "Then I will just have to be at every night out so that we can both enjoy ourselves without worrying the entire time," he told her, leaning forward to kiss her.

It would have been very romantic if not for the wild beeping of the heart rate monitor in the background.


	8. Oasis

Oasis

He had completed his quest, avenged his clan. Now there was nothing, he felt nothing. Kakashi had been right. Revenge had not brought back the dead, nor had it restored some sense of balance to his world that he had always been certain that it would.

He had not found justice and he couldn't help but question, '_What was it all for?_' He just felt lost, like a man wandering a barren desert. Was this what he had become? Was this the fate of the Uchiha clan?

A flash of colour, familiar pink and green entered his vision. _Sakura_.

If he was lost in a desert, she had become his oasis, his necessity for survival. For in the years that he had been gone, Sakura had grown in so many ways. She was stronger, braver, more confident, but essentially, she was still Sakura. All the things that made her _her _were the same- her kindness, her compassion, her temper, her capacity to love.

And remarkably, after everything that he had put her through, after all the pain that he had caused her, she still loved him.

Feeling his eyes on her, she turned and the smile that lit up her face was just for him. As she drew nearer, he felt himself relax. When she was right in front of him, she didn't speak. Perhaps she sensed that he had something to say.

"I-," but what came next, he wasn't sure. The words stuck in his throat. '_I need you? I love you?_'

Her small hand slipped into his. "I know." And it didn't matter if Sasuke didn't know what he wanted to tell her because Sakura understood him better than he understood himself.


	9. Rice Wine

Rice Wine

"_What's that?" Sasuke asked as his Mother added a few drops from the bottle in her hand into the pan she was using._

_Turning to her son, Mikoto smiled. "This?" she asked, holding the bottle towards him. "It's mirin, rice wine."_

_Young Sasuke gasped. "That's in our food? I won't be able to have any. I'm not old enough to have wine."_

_Mikoto laughed. "It's okay to have some in food," she told him in a whisper, leaning forward to ruffle his hair._

_Sasuke squirmed away but frowned up at her. "Won't I get drunk?" he asked._

_Two fingers tapped his forehead. "No, it's not strong and there's only a small amount in the food." He still looked doubtful so Mikoto assured him, "I've never known anyone to get drunk on rice wine."_

The aroma in the kitchen was surprisingly pleasant and Sasuke was skeptical, absently wondering what his Mother would have made of his new wife's cooking. A great kunoichi and medic she may be but there was no denying that Sakura was domestically challenged.

"Ah, Sasuke," she smiled when she spotted him standing in the doorway. "Can you pass the mirin? I couldn't reach it."

"You know," he began warily, passing her the bottle after retrieving it from the top shelf, "you could just go out for a meal with the girls. It would save you the effort of cooking."

However, Sakura narrowed her eyes, holding the bottle in one hand and pointing her wooden spoon at him with the other. "No," she replied. "They think I can't cook. A 'culinary catastrophe' was the term Ino used. I'm going to prove them wrong." With that, she turned away, checking the recipe and adding a few drops of the rice wine into her pot. Sasuke walked away with a shake of his head so he missed her dipping her spoon into the mixture and sampling the vinaigrette she was making for their sushi. Sakura frowned, checking the recipe once more, peering into the pot and then tipping the rest of the mirin out of the bottle and into the pot.

To allow for her 'girls only' dinner party, Sasuke was meeting some of the guys for a meal and with Naruto involved, it could only be at Ichiraku. He had only been out for half an hour, the bowl of ramen just placed in front of him when the messenger arrived informing the group that Sasuke, Naruto, Neji and Shikamaru should be ready to depart for a mission within the hour. With a sigh, he stood to leave. Neji and Shikamaru followed his example but Naruto refused to leave his ramen, promising he would still be ready to leave by the appointed time. With a roll of his eyes, Sasuke left him to it, knowing that the blond would probably clear all of the abandoned bowls.

Sasuke was surprised by the noise level that assaulted his ears when he arrived home, venturing into the dining-room to investigate. Surely they couldn't be drinking the sake already. The other girls had only just been arriving when he had left.

"Sakura," Ino sang out, her already loud voice reaching unprecedented decibels. "This is the best sushi I've ever had. You are a wonderful cook!"

Something was definitely amiss. Sasuke couldn't see any signs of sake on the table and, sure enough, the bottle remained untouched where it had been in the kitchen when he had left. He looked back at the girls, all of whom looked flushed and were giggling loudly, even Hinata. He opened the cupboard and noticed the absence of the mirin bottle. Frowning, he scanned the worktops until his gaze landed on the bin and the empty bottle poking out of the top.

He remembered as a child asking his Mother if he would get drunk when there was rice wine in the food, and how she had laughed at the impossibility of it. Sasuke vowed there and then he was never letting Sakura cook again.


	10. Fox's Wedding

Fox's Wedding

Naruto and Hinata's wedding was as grand an occasion as they both deserved. There was music, dancing, and lots of alcohol. The last time Sakura had seen her mentor, she had been in a drinking contest with the Raikage and was losing. _Badly_.

'_Who would have thought we'd all be here?_' Sakura mused. '_The fox's wedding._' Naruto's journey truly was an amazing one. He had been despised, loathed by the villagers all because of something that happened moments after he was born, a decision his parents had made, something that was outwith his control. When she reflected on their years at the academy, their early days as Team Seven, she was ashamed of how she had behaved towards him. If she had known better, taken the time to get to know the boy he was and not assume he was the monster she had been told he was, how different things could have been. It could have been her wedding day. It was no secret that Naruto had had a crush on her all those years ago. What if she had returned those feelings? Would she have been the fox's bride?

Sakura shook her head, trying to clear it of those thoughts. She was sincerely happy for her friends. Yet a small part of her was so desperately sad. Would she ever know that same joy that was so clearly visible in the eyes of the bride and groom?

Turning around to observe the rest of the company only made her heart clench more. Ino was feeding Sai some wedding cake. Udon and Moegi were dancing together, faces flushed as they contemplated the leap from teammates to something more. Even Shikamaru and Temari sat together in a secluded corner, on the edge of their seats to close the gap between them.

Inevitably, her thoughts turned to the one who was not there. How handsome he would look in his finest attire, in a wedding kimono like the one Naruto wore now…

The image faded in her mind as quickly as it had appeared and Sakura decided to congratulate her friends one last time before slipping away to her home, leaving everyone to their celebrations and her to her heartache.


	11. Chills

Chills

Goosebumps erupted across her skin as she stepped into the throne room. The shiver that ran through her body had nothing to with the cool evening air and everything to do with the menacing aura of the man that stood before her parents.

Sakura swallowed and then schooled her face into a mask of indifference. Such nonchalance was harder to achieve when she saw the tears streaking down her Mother's cheeks, the mixture of anger and fear that was clouding her Father's eyes.

Normally she would have been announced as she entered the throne room but the ashen-faced servant who had ushered her in had hurriedly shut the door behind her, choosing not to linger. However, it seemed this man did not require her presence to be announced. Such formalities were beneath him.

He turned around to look at her, eyes cold and calculating. If not for his intimidating presence, she would have found him quite handsome. He was tall and lean, his dark hair and eyes standing out against his pale skin. His features were sharp, aristocratic and the dark cloak he wore looked expensive.

"Ah, Princess," he said with a smirk. Sakura would have bristled at his impertinence if it weren't for the fear that he had induced in everyone else. "How kind of you to join us."

Sakura held his gaze for a moment before her eyes slid to her parents. "Mama, Papa, what's going on?"

She knew she had displeased this stranger when she felt a pulse of energy. It filled the room and she shivered again as it sent chills down her spine. However, she held her composure and her Father rose to his feet.

"My dearest daughter," he spoke loudly but there was a tremor in his voice that she had never heard there before, and she knew she hated the stranger for this terrible effect that he had on everyone she loved. "This is Sasuke Uchiha."

'_Uchiha?_' she thought. Now she understood. The Uchiha were a noble and long-established clan. There were renowned for their power, considered dangerous by many and much feared across the continent.

"You and Lord Uchiha are," her Father seemed to choke on his words for a moment but then continued, "to be married."

The room was silent and then Sakura exploded. "Married? No!"

That strange pulse of energy filled the room again and though it wasn't physical, Sakura raised her hand as though to slap it away. Surprisingly it was her Father's voice who cut through the chaotic silence.

"Sakura! You are the Princess of this land, but I am the King. Lord Sasuke has requested your hand in marriage and, on your behalf, I have accepted."

Her eyes widened and, hesitantly, she stepped closer to her Father. "Your Majesty, why?" she asked, her voice no more than a whisper. '_We are the royal family,_' she wanted to say. '_What hold do the Uchiha's have over us?_'

There was a breeze by her side and a hand clasped her shoulder, giving her chills once more. "Because," a voice that was all too close spoke, she could feel the warm breath on her ear and neck, "I want to."

Sakura stepped back, trying to pull away but the hand on her shoulder tightened. Fear began to take hold but she remained defiant. "Well I don't!" she stated.

The hand on her shoulder tightened once more, beginning to hurt her, and only her resolve not to show any fear kept her from whimpering. "What you want is unimportant. By sunset tomorrow, we will be married," he told her, and she could have sworn his eyes had turned red.

Sakura gulped and this time, with his hand on her shoulder, Sasuke didn't miss the chills that ran down her spine.


	12. Gravitation

Gravitation

When Kakashi had first been assigned Team Seven, he had been sure they would be like every other team from every other year. Meeting them did nothing to assuage that feeling: their introductions confirmed his suspicions. They were all far too self-involved, and their own goals would almost certainly take precedence over their teammates.

Surprisingly though, and although they wasted their morning focusing on their own agendas, they chose to unite and, more surprisingly still, it was the Uchiha who instigated it. They disregarded the rules in order to work as a team only a day after they had been banded together. In spite of himself, Kakashi was impressed.

In the months that followed, their growth was a joy to watch and the Jonin realised, with some surprise, that in many ways Team Seven resembled his own Genin team. Sasuke was so very like himself- everything came so naturally except, perhaps, the compassion and empathy that often seemed so unnecessary for a ninja but was in fact crucial for success. Sakura was almost painfully like Rin- a talented kunoichi when she wasn't fawning over Sasuke, full of the kindness, compassion and the love for her village that had ultimately cost his teammate her life and please, God please, don't let that be Sakura's fate. And Naruto reminded him so much of Obito- a knucklehead who acted without thinking, who wasn't naturally gifted at ninjutsu but tried regardless, who never backed down.

The sense of nostalgia was, at times, overwhelming and Kakashi found himself spending increasingly more time at the memorial stone, wondering what his teammates and sensei would have made of it- him looking after and training a team of Genin. It was like looking at what could have been, an alternative future. In some ways, he envied the bonds that they had formed, wishing that he'd had more time because the bonds he had formed came just too late and _he had needed more time._

Yet there was more to the bonds of Team Seven, something he couldn't put his finger on. Team Eight were close, they worked well together- an ideal team for reconnaissance. Team Ten, the famous Ino-Shika-Cho combination that spanned generations, worked so well together and were able to back each other up almost on instinct. Still, Team Seven had something more, it went so much deeper, or was that just his own bias as their sensei?

He had to deal with the devastation when Sasuke left and acknowledge that he had been wrong. He had tried to make Sasuke understand but the Uchiha had left and taken on his quest for revenge, sought more power, _dangerous power_, and left his teammates behind, severing those bonds that Kakashi had envied so much.

However, Naruto and Sakura did not give up. They still talked of Sasuke as their teammate, defied anyone who called him traitor and, even when Naruto left to train with Jiraiya, their own bond grew stronger.

During the Fourth Great Ninja War, they united in a battle, the apprentices of the Legendary Sannin, _his _Team Seven. And the years apart meant nothing. Their teamwork was instinctive and seamless, and Kakashi knew he had been right after all.

His conviction only strengthened in the years that followed because they seemed to just know how and when to be there for each other.

Sakura would turn up at Naruto's apartment with a bag of groceries, healthy foods that the blond would never buy for himself. Yet somewhere in that bag, there would be an Ichiraku voucher tucked away, an incentive for him to eat the fruit and vegetables at which he would normally stick up his nose. Those groceries would barely have dwindled when she would return with another full bag.

Naruto would turn up at the training field ready to spar with Sasuke the day after the Uchiha had returned from a mission, ready to test their new techniques on each other. And at the end of the day, Sakura would be there ready to repair any damage they had done to each other.

Sasuke would arrive at the hospital injury-free and none of the staff even bothered to try and stop him as he marched into Sakura's office usually to find her semi-conscious or already asleep after pulling yet another double or triple shift and stubbornly insisting on completing her paperwork. He would carry her back to her apartment, feebly protesting if she wasn't already sleeping, and tuck her into bed. He always stayed until she had slept for what he deemed a reasonable amount of time, otherwise she would just sneak back to the hospital because 'they always appreciate the extra help'.

Kakashi couldn't help but marvel at them. How Naruto had become the strongest and most respected shinobi in the village. How Sasuke had learned to value his comrades, their well being and the bonds he had with them more than any amount of power. And how Sakura had realised her own potential, had formed the resolve not to rely on Naruto and Sasuke, and had pushed to become a kunoichi more powerful than the Fifth Hokage.

What Kakashi admired most was not their individual growth but how they had driven each other to grow and how they had grown for each other. Because back in those early days, Kakashi had been right. What held them together was so much more than bonds- it was gravitation. They gravitated towards each other, relied on each other, needed each other, and Kakashi was proud to have been part of that, an extended part of Team Seven.

**Author's** **Note:**I've gone down the route of Team Seven with this one but SasuSaku would not be what it is if it weren't for Team Seven so I've rolled with it. Hope you enjoyed it!


	13. Heavy

Heavy

'_Why do my missions always become so complicated?_' Sakura thought miserably. Go to the Land of Iron and help heal some miners who had been injured in an accident. Then take a slight detour on the way home to collect some medicinal herbs from the Land of Waterfalls. It shouldn't have been difficult. Only some Sound ninja had gone to pick up the same medicinal herbs for Kabuto.

Four on one. She had taken them out, but she was pretty sure that one of them had used some sort of numbing toxin because her limbs felt heavy as she tried to trudge home. Tsuande would have expected her hours ago after she had sent a message from the Land of Iron to notify her she was heading to Waterfall and would return from there. If only she had enough chakra, she could summon one of her slugs and have them send for help.

Her legs buckled underneath her, and she had to catch herself against the nearest tree so that she didn't hit her head. More carefully, she lowered herself to the ground, still sprawled inelegantly but by controlling her landing, she didn't have any additional injuries to worry about. '_Dammit_', she thought, her eyelids also feeling heavy, but it wasn't safe to succumb to the unconsciousness her body craved right now. She was out in the open, defenceless and, one way or another, she still had to get those herbs back to Konoha.

She didn't know how long she had lay there fighting to stay conscious when she heard someone drop to the ground beside her and a voice shouting frantically.

"Sakura! Sakura, can you hear me? She's here Sasuke!"

'_Sasuke? Naruto?_' She wanted to reassure them she was fine, but her tongue felt heavy too. '_Damn those Sound ninja!_'

Another pair of feet appeared in her peripheral vision and she felt a hand gently running across her back, fingers tracing the back of her head.

"There's no serious injury. Her chakra's low."

"Then why does she look so beat?"

"Nng," she tried, and the fingers tensed in her hair. "Num- numbing toxin."

Naruto cursed and Sasuke growled. She loved her boys.

"We'll have to carry her back," Naruto observed.

"I'll do it. Will you help lift her onto my back?" Sasuke asked.

"No!" Sakura moaned as they started to lift her. "I'm too heavy. Just… just give me a bit."

Naruto laughed and Sasuke snorted as they continued to arrange her on his back.

"Naruto's eaten servings of ramen heavier than you," Sasuke said and Sakura chuckled.

Sasuke watched her from the corner of his eye as they set off, her head resting on his shoulder. "Go to sleep."

"Mm," she hummed, eyes blinking heavily a few times as she watched Naruto setting the pace ahead of them before they closed, and her breathing evened out.

Sasuke gave her one more sideways glance before picking up speed. "And don't worry me like that again."


	14. Daydreams

Daydreams

In her daydreams, she was _Mrs Sakura Uchiha_. His family crest was proudly displayed across her back and she would share a home with him, maybe one of those large mansion-like houses in the Uchiha compound.

She had fantasized about her wedding day. In her head, his cheeks were tinged red as she glided elegantly down the aisle in her white kimono, her pink locks swept up into a fancy up do. She even imagined Ino as her bridesmaid and had envisioned the blonde on the arm of almost every other boy in their class, wishing and wishing she might like them instead. _Ino and Shino? No. Ino and Kiba? Maybe. Ino and Shikamaru? Hmm…_

And on their first day as Team Seven, it took almost all of her will power not to squeal like her Inner when he shared his goal. He wanted to restore his clan. She felt as though her daydreams were within reach. They were going to spend every day together. He was bound to fall in love with her as she had him. It was meant to be.

If only Sakura knew how different Sasuke's daydreams were to her own.

For Sasuke's daydreams were centred on the other part of his goal- the part that Sakura had chosen to gloss over. In Sasuke's daydreams, he had his hands around Itachi's throat, choking the life out of him. He had driven his kunai into his older brother's chest so forcefully, just as Itachi had done to their parents, that the blood had drenched his arms, his clothes, his face. He had burned Itachi to a crisp with the Fireball Jutsu he had trained so hard to perfect. In fact, Sasuke gave very little thought to restoring his clan. That was something to focus on later, after his clan had been avenged.

How very different people's daydreams could be.


	15. Prayers

Prayers

Sakura let her breath out in a huff as she reached the top of the steps. Balancing her basket on her hip, she tugged at her sarong-style skirt and flicked some of the hair, that had fallen into her face over the course of the day, from her eyes. Ensuring the basket was securely in her grasp, she started forward once more.

She had grown up in a small village where everyone knew everyone. They had what they needed from one day to the next, but they had to travel to the nearest town when supplies were running low. From a young age, Sakura had been taught to respect the Gods and was regularly taken to the four temples that surrounded their village. Now that she was old enough to go to the town herself, she also visited the temples alone, usually going to one temple every evening where she would leave offerings to the Gods and send prayers to them to watch over her people.

On this day, Sakura had been in town to visit the doctor there. She was studying different herbs and medicines for there was no doctor in the village and her fellow villagers didn't always have the means of travelling to town. Over time, due to her interest in healing, the village people had looked to her whenever anyone was ill or injured. She had journeyed to town to consult with the doctor on an illness that she had heard talk of and how best to treat it before anyone she knew was taken ill. On her way home, she had decided to visit the Temple of the Elements which she would have to pass en route.

Sakura knelt first before the monument for the God of Lightning. She scooped a handful of berries from her basket and dropped them into this offerings bowl, bowing her head with eyes closed. She had no specific prayers today- she would only ask for the well-being of her people.

Next, she did the same for the God of Wind and then for the God of Fire. However, the berries had barely touched the Fire God's offerings bowl when a voice startled her.

"You know, I'd prefer tomatoes."

Sakura leapt up with a shriek, spinning to face the newcomer whose approach she had not heard. In front of her stood the most handsome man she had ever seen. He was tall with a broad chest, which his arms were currently folded across. His skin was pale, and he had dark hair, which spiked up at the back in a most unusual way, and dark eyes, which held a mischievous twinkle, matching the devilish smirk on his face.

Her eyes were level with his chest which she quickly realised was all too close to her. Instinctively, she stepped back, but her sandaled foot caught on the plinth behind her and she began to topple backwards. She prepared for an impact that never came because the attractive stranger had unfolded one arm and caught her wrist. With a gentle tug, he brought her upright. Once she was steady, he released his hold.

"Who are you?" she asked, her wide eyes not leaving his face.

His smirk grew wider. "You were just talking to me and you don't even know who I am?"

Sakura frowned, wondering if he was okay. She had been alone since she left town, not even speaking to anyone on the road, and had come straight here to offer her prayers. "I'm sorry," she began politely, "I think you're mistaken. I just came here to pray-!"

The stranger laughed. "I know. And I'm telling you, I prefer tomatoes. Berries are too sweet."

Sakura stared at him confusedly then glanced down at her basket, realising for the first time that she'd spilled half of her berries earlier when she had almost fallen. "No, these are for-!"

"The Gods," he finished, locking eyes with her and giving her a pointed look as he waited for the penny to drop.

Finally, it did. "You're a God?" she asked breathlessly.

The smirk reappeared. "Sasuke Uchiha," he answered, "God of Fire."

Sakura didn't even realise her jaw had dropped open until she felt a finger pushing under her chin to close her mouth. She blinked. The insanely good-looking God was making physical contact with her again. She shook her head marginally and he dropped his hand.

"You…," she started, then stopped, trying to organise her thoughts. "You want me to bring you tomatoes?" she asked carefully.

"If you could. And Naruto would prefer ramen," he replied, indicating the offering bowl for the Wind God.

She frowned. "Ramen?"

"Oh, it's not really a custom here," he murmured, almost to himself.

Sakura continued to stare at the stranger before her. '_He can't really be the God of Fire. Why would he be here?_'

Her disbelief must have showed in her face, or he could read her thoughts. Sasuke opened his palm and a flame appeared there. Sakura stared at it, ignoring the sting in her eyes until he curled his fingers over the flame, and it disappeared.

Her gaze returned to his face. "What brings you to the realm of mortals?" she asked uncertainly. "You didn't come all this way to tell me about the tomatoes?"

Sasuke laughed. "No," he answered. "I came to collect you."

This time, she didn't fall. Her mouth didn't even drop open. There was just silence, her face blank before she managed, "Huh?"

"The God of Wisdom asked me to come for you Sakura Haruno. You are to return with me to the Land of the Gods."

Sakura was suddenly aware of how ordinary she was. How she was caked in dust from her travels, her hair escaping from the tie she had pulled it back in before she set off in the morning, and that she was standing next to a God who was more beautiful than anyone she had ever seen. Only one explanation seemed logical. "Am I dead?" she asked.

'_What a strange little mortal,_'he mused. "No," he drew the syllable out so that she knew that he was questioning her sanity.

Sakura was confused. A stranger appeared claiming to be a God, seemingly validated by the fire he could produce in his bare hands, and wanted to take her to the land of the Gods? It couldn't be real.

"Aren't you curious?" a voice interrupted her musings and her eyes snapped to him once more. "Don't you want to see what it's like? What immortals do to while away the time?" He leaned towards her, clasping her wrists and drawing her closer to him, his face hovering so close to hers. He could drag her to his world right then if he wanted. She was powerless to resist.

"I'm mortal," she squeaked.

There was a spark in his eyes. "You don't have to be." He looked at the fear and uncertainty in her eyes and that gorgeous smirk tugged at his lips once more. "Come on, it's only for eternity."


	16. Turbulence

Turbulence

'Ladies and gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. Unfortunately, we are experiencing some turbulence. We ask that you remain in your seats until we have passed through. Thank you.'

Already a nervous flyer, Sakura could feel her anxiety levels rising by the second. She curled forward, head almost touching her knees and hands clamped around the back of her head. She took a deep breath: in through the nose, and out through the mouth.

"This is why flying is better without a plane," a voice from beside her muttered.

Sakura peered out from behind her arm, momentarily distracted from the panic that was threatening to overwhelm her. She gave Sasuke a scrutinizing look. "How can you fly without a plane?"

Absently, Sasuke raised his arm and rubbed at the strange black mark on his neck. "Never mind."

She opened her mouth to prod further but the plane gave an unnerving jolt and instead, she let out a whimper, tucking her head down to her knees once more. As tears welled up in her eyes, Sakura felt a hand wrap around her own and without thinking, she interlocked their fingers. Sasuke's hand squeezed hers reassuringly and even though the plane continued to shudder, Sakura's panic began to fade.


	17. Ink and Paper

Ink and Paper

The computer was all set. Her folders were filed in a box neatly beside her. Pens, pencils, notebooks and sticky pads were lined up on the desk. Pushing her non-prescription glasses, the ones she wore for the sake of looking more professional, further up her nose, Sakura was ready.

Every lunchtime, she entered this same classroom to run her matchmaking club. Fellow students would approach her for help. She would take the necessary information, enter it into her algorithm and find them a match. She had a 100% success rate.

She was waiting for a boy from the year below. He had asked for help and she had instructed him to come to the classroom at lunchtime so that she could create his profile. However, the boy that threw the door open so hard that it bounced against the wall was not the one she'd been expecting.

"Sasuke? What brings you here?"

The Uchiha glared at her, striding forward and dropping into the chair in front of her. "Find me another match," he said through clenched teeth.

Sakura blinked in surprise. This was a first. "I matched you with Karin," she said carefully.

His eyes narrowed further, and Sakura wanted to sink further back into her chair but was determined to stand her ground. "She is _insufferable_. She is not a match for me," he replied.

Sakura frowned, then turned to rummage through the files in her box. She pulled out Sasuke's and he scowled as he noted that his file was attached to Karin's by a paperclip. Sakura pulled the clip off and set the two folders down on the desk next to each other, moving the heart-shaped sticky note with her scribbles on it to sit over the line where the two folders touched. "Sasuke, you and Karin have a 92% match compatibility. That's the second highest rating I've ever had. Only Naruto and Hinata have higher. On ink and paper, you're a perfect match."

"Find. Someone. Else," he ground out. Sakura was actually concerned for his teeth.

The pinkette sighed. "Look, you don't want to date anyone younger than our year. Most of the girls in our year are already matched up. I am telling you now, you won't find a higher compatibility percentage."

He didn't say anything, but his glare was unflinching. Sakura sighed and turned to her computer, wiggling the mouse and searching the files. "The girls I'm bringing up are already matched, and _happy_," she emphasised, throwing him a pointed look. "I'm just proving a point."

Sakura hummed as she searched for the files she wanted, trying to ease the tension in the room. "Let's see… Sasuke Uchiha and Ino Yamanaka… 67%." She glanced at Sasuke who was still glaring at her. She sighed. "Sasuke Uchiha and Hinata Hyuuga… 88%. Huh? Too bad her and Naruto had a 96% match. You two would be cute."

There was a huff and she saw that Sasuke had leaned forward, his elbows resting on the desk and he was looking at the screen. His gaze flickered to her. "Try again."

With a scowl, she turned back to the computer. She didn't like being told what to do. "Sasuke Uchiha and Ami Wantanabe… 3%." She burst out laughing.

"Again," he demanded.

Sakura glared at him. "Sasuke, you saw how many I tried last time, and this time too. Karin is your best match." When he didn't shift, she turned back to the screen. "There's no-one else. Look, I'll even use my profile. Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno…!"

When he didn't hear a number, Sasuke frowned, firstly at the self-proclaimed matchmaker who had gone very red, and then at the screen where the number 98 was flashing in a loveheart between their two profile pictures.

"98%?" he questioned. He watched as Sakura's mouth opened and closed several times, noting how she resembled a rather attractive goldfish.

"That's… not possible," she choked out. She turned to him with eyes wide in panic. "My profile is there as a default. I'm not… I'm not supposed to get a match."

Sasuke smirked. "But on ink and paper, _Sakura_," he purred her name and she felt her face heat up even more, "we're a perfect match."

Before she could answer, he stood up. "Thanks for your help. I'm going to find Karin and break things off." He walked to the door but stopped and looked back. "By the way, we're going to the cinema tonight. I'll pick you up at 7."

Sakura cursed. She was _so_ done with matchmaking.


	18. Between the Lines

Between the Lines

"Sakura, I have a simple B-rank mission for you. I need some archiving done."

The kunoichi tilted her head, eyebrows drawing down as she regarded her mentor. "But Lady Tsunade, why is archiving a B-ranked mission?"

Tsunade smiled at her apprentice, always so perceptive. "Because it's in _my _library."

Satisfied with that answer, Sakura agreed to the assignment. She had a studious mind so archiving appealed to her anyway, and Lady Tsunade couldn't send just anyone into her library. It had to be someone that she trusted implicitly, and Sakura felt honoured that it was her.

The feeling quickly dissipated once she stepped inside. It was bedlam. The scrolls were scattered everywhere, and there were more on the floor than there were on the shelves. How was she supposed to sort all of this?!

"Have fun," Tsunade sang, shutting the door behind her apprentice. Sakura could hear her cackling as she retreated down the hall. '_Hag_,' she thought bitterly.

However, Sakura set to her task as meticulously as possible, scanning through the scrolls, numbering them and categorising them by clans, jutsus, medicines, into endless genres and cross-referencing them when necessary. The days were long, but she was learning so much about the village, even some of the other villages, that she began to appreciate the mission once again. It really wasn't so bad once she had her system in place, though she was still going to give Lady Tsunade a piece of her mind once she was finished.

It was on the fourth day that she picked up a scroll featuring a familiar red and white fan. She made a note that it was clan-related before opening it to see if it required any cross-references.

As her eyes scanned the document, Sakura felt bile rising to the back of her throat. The scroll detailed the Uchiha massacre. She knew she shouldn't read on- she had the information she needed to file it and yet, she couldn't tear her eyes away.

When she reached the end, tears stinging her eyes as she thought of the pain that Sasuke had endured, something didn't sit quite right with Sakura. She read through the document again and suddenly, she felt her stomach drop. Shaking her head, she started again. She had to be imagining it.

No. It was right there, between the lines. The document was cleverly written- she knew most people would have missed it. However, it wasn't only Sakura's intellect that had helped her to find it, but her relationship with Sasuke too.

Reading between the lines, Sakura realised that Itachi Uchiha had not acted alone the night he had murdered his clan. An unknown person- though if she understood correctly, it was a third Uchiha- had helped. What was more, Itachi had acted on the orders of the village. The council had ordered the destruction of one of Konoha's most prominent clans. All of that pain that Sasuke had endured…

The tears fell freely from Sakura's eyes. Itachi Uchiha, murderer of his clan, member of Akatsuki, who had tried to kill her sensei and his own brother, had only become a traitor because he had followed the orders of his superiors. He had taken on the hatred of the village that he had put himself through hell to protect.

Sakura read the scroll through again, trying to memorise it before filing it away. Then she stood, ready to leave the library, forming the resolve to leave the village. She had to find Sasuke. He had to know before it was too late…


	19. Bridges

Bridges

The goal had always been to bring Sasuke home, for Team Seven to be reunited. However, when he did return, it suddenly seemed obvious that it wouldn't be plain sailing.

When Naruto finally brought him back, goofy smile on his face and one arm slung around his teammate's shoulder, Sakura felt her heart skip a beat. She didn't run to them both as she had always thought that she would. Fear had her rooted to the spot. As she stood there trembling, Naruto's eyes found her, and he extended the arm not wrapped around Sasuke to wave at her. The action had drawn Sasuke's attention and, feeling his eyes on her, Sakura suddenly found it very hard to breathe and she felt the world slipping away.

When she came to, Naruto was crouching by her side. "Sakura, are you okay?" he asked frantically.

Her jade eyes locked on his cerulean. "Where is he?"

Naruto frowned. "They dragged him off to interrogation." The blond continued to grumble about protocol and injustice, so he missed the long slow breath that Sakura released.

Sasuke had known that it would take time for the village to accept him, even if Naruto and Sakura did welcome him back with open arms. Except that Sakura seemed to be constantly on edge around him. When they were together, her smile never quite reached her eyes. And one time in training, when Sasuke had reached towards her, she had flinched. Sasuke had hesitated then continued, pushing some hair out of her face and behind her ear. Sakura had been so embarrassed, she had excused herself to run some fictional errand at the hospital shortly afterwards.

Things could not be left as they were. Sasuke needed to build bridges.

Sakura was home alone in the evening when there was a knock at the front door. She had been at the hospital all day and she just wanted to sleep. Grumbling, she made her way to the door but stopped short when she opened it.

"Sasuke… hi," she acknowledged, angling herself so that she was partially behind the door.

Sasuke noted the tense posture, the strained smile. "The Hokage asked me to give you this," he said, holding a scroll out towards her.

"Oh," she answered, reaching out a hand to take it. "Thanks."

Before she could close the door, Sasuke heard himself ask, "Can I come in?"

Sakura's eyes widened for a second then, without speaking, she opened the door wider, watching him carefully as he entered her apartment. She indicated the living-room before she disappeared into the kitchen to make tea.

When she entered the lounge, he was sat on the couch with his head bowed low, eyes closed. He looked up as she placed the tea on the table in front of him before moving to the other end of the couch and curling her knees into her chest.

It pained Sasuke to see her so tense around him. "We need to talk," he told her.

Sakura made no reply. She wasn't sure what to say. She didn't even know if she was capable of having a one-to-one conversation with him.

He realized she wasn't going to answer, and he sighed, looking away from her. "Sakura, you don't have to be afraid of me-," he began but on hearing a sharp intake of breath, he paused and looked towards her once more, startled to see that she was welling up, eyebrows drawn down.

"I offered you my heart," she told him, "and you tried to drive a Chidori through it." Sasuke bowed his head again, his own eyebrows pulled down. Sakura didn't care to analyse that expression, dwelling instead on her own feelings. "Do you know how hard it is? When every muscle, nerve, instinct is screaming at you that the person you love is a threat to your life?"

Sasuke's head snapped up again. The tears rolled down her face and she slid her knees away from her chest as she prepared to walk away.

"Sakura," he began, and Sakura hesitated. '_He'll think I'm pathetic. Still the same crybaby who proclaims love for him._'

He moved too quickly for her to register- he had to, before her ninja instincts could kick in- smashing his lips against hers. He placed one hand on the back of her head with just enough pressure to stop her knee-jerk reaction of pulling away but not enough that she couldn't pull away after she had time to process that he was kissing her. He wasn't sure what reaction he was expecting but he was relieved when he felt her kissing him back.

When they finally broke apart, he leaned his forehead against hers and she gazed at him wide-eyed.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, his hand still on the back of her head, fingers brushing through her hair.

"You better not mean for kissing me," she whispered and Sasuke laughed. He pulled her closer, disappointed when he felt her tensing in his embrace. "It's going to take time Sasuke," she murmured.

"Aa," he nodded but as he held her, he felt her relax and he knew that everything would be okay.


	20. Something New

Something New

He was travelling through the forest when he felt the familiar chakra nearby. Locked on, he changed direction towards it when it suddenly dimmed and disappeared altogether. Sasuke smirked. If she wanted to hide from him, that only made the chase more entertaining for him. Predator and prey.

He reached the clearing where he was sure she had been and waited. Something told him she was nearby and sure enough, a chakra flared up behind him. He turned, catching her wrist and drawing his katana. The blade was only partially out of its sheath when she directed a kick at his ribs. Sasuke had to twist, releasing his hold on her. He couldn't afford to let any of her taijutsu connect with him.

Sakura landed in a crouch and quickly adopted a defensive posture, kunai held in front of her in one hand, the other fisted, ready to throw one of her infamous punches. She eyed him warily.

"Did you really think that you could catch me off guard?" he asked, still smirking.

She bared her teeth, raising the kunai higher. This was something new, her readiness to attack him. However, her next words wiped the smirk off of his face.

"Who are you?"

Sasuke frowned at her. "Stop playing games Sakura," he ordered.

She tilted her head at him, eyebrows drawing down. "Do I know you?" she asked.

His katana slid back into its sheath and Sasuke gave her a measured look. "I'm Sasuke Uchiha. You once proclaimed your undying love for me."

Sakura lowered the kunai, though her grip on it remained firm. Sasuke could see her thinking the information over, as though it were some sort of interesting puzzle. He realised that her clothes were tattered, her pink locks unkempt, and noted for the first time that her Konoha hitai-ate was missing.

"I'm sorry," she finally said. "I don't remember you."

Sasuke flashed across the distance between them, grabbing her wrist with enough pressure to force the kunai from her grasp. He twisted her around so that he could also catch the fist aiming for his abdomen, manoeuvring them both so that they were chest to chest. He glared down at her, Sharingan activated and tomoe spinning.

However instead of flinching away, Sakura tried to peer into his eyes more closely. "That's… kind of familiar," she murmured.

In surprise, his Sharingan deactivated and they were left staring at each other, obsidian eyes and green.

"You don't remember me?" he asked.

She was still gazing at him, her eyes searching. "No, but I don't remember much of anything."

Sasuke frowned down at her, wondering what he should do when her voice interrupted his thoughts once again.

"Did you say my name was Sakura?"

What on earth had happened to his teammate?


	21. Something Borrowed

Something Borrowed

The fire that was blazing in the hearth, logs crackling below it, did little to warm the large room. Sakura had the only lit candle beside her so that she could read the text in front of her.

When the door creaked open, the prickling sensation on her skin was enough to tell her who it was without looking up. She had hoped that he wouldn't come in here when the room was still so dark, but he quickly identified the library as her favourite hiding place and the darkness did not deter him from looking for her there.

She heard him approach. "My Lady," he acknowledged. She did not look up, giving no indication that she had heard him. "I bring you a gift," he continued. Sakura did not squeal excitedly as many fiancées would at hearing such news. She did not even smile. Instead, she tensed- a much more logical reaction when Sasuke Uchiha stated that he had brought a gift.

A small blue box was placed on the table in front of her. Sakura's gaze flickered to the box and then back to the volume in front of her.

"Tsk." Sasuke leaned forward and lifted the lid himself, revealing a large diamond pendant. At last, Sakura's eyes fell on it. "This belonged to my Mother. It is to be your 'something borrowed'," he told her.

Sakura looked at it, her face impassive as though completely disinterested. "I suppose if it was your Mother's, it should also serve as my 'something old'."

His hand clasped her chin, forcing her to look at him, his eyes glowing eerily red in the dark room. "You will not make comments like that about my family," he stated imperiously. When she gave no reaction, he decided to try a different tactic. "Though I suppose that soon enough, you will be my family."

'_There it is,_' he thought as he perceived just a slight change, a flicker of fear in her eyes.

"Imagine how you would feel," he continued, "if the bride of _our _son spoke that way of you."

Sakura fought the urge to gag. She didn't want him anywhere near her. She most certainly didn't want to bare his children. "It's not as though your Mother is around to hear it," she bit back.

The hand on her chin tightened, jerking her head in the process. His teeth were bared in a snarl. Then, abruptly, he let go but remained crouched, his face level with hers. "This marriage does not have to be a cage."

It was Sakura's turn to bare her teeth. "It was a cage the minute you took me against my will," she snapped at him.

Sasuke's smile was cold and calculating. He leaned forward, planting his lips on hers, then pulled back. "Very well then, little bird, I'll see you at the altar."

The draft as the library door closed behind him blew the candle out.


	22. Early Mornings

Early Mornings

The persistent tapping on her balcony door grew louder and louder but Sakura only pulled the covers over her head. It was still early, and she didn't do early mornings. Not anymore.

"Oi, Forehead!" a familiar voice called, and Sakura groaned. There was a poof as Ino decided that her knocking was getting her nowhere and it would be better just to teleport straight into the pinkette's room. "How are you still in bed? I thought you were an early bird." The blonde pulled the covers away and Sakura scrunched up her face against the sudden brightness, throwing an arm over her face to block it out.

Ino continued to look down at her best friend, hands on her hips. "We have a mission."

"We don't leave 'til lunchtime," Sakura grumbled.

"Shikamaru wants to have a briefing before we go," Ino replied. When Sakura didn't move, she prodded further. "What's with you? You were always an early riser."

Sakura rolled over, throwing her friend a fierce glare before getting up, striding past a bewildered Ino to get to the bathroom.

In the bathroom, Sakura stepped into the shower, turning the temperature up so that the water was almost scalding. Ino was right- early mornings had never bothered Sakura. However that had all changed the morning that she had awakened shortly after sunrise, body stiff and aching from spending the night sleeping on a cold stone bench, roused by the voices of Izumo and Kotetsu, who she could barely look in the eyes these days. Early mornings reminded her of waking up to the realisation that he'd gone, that her words had been powerless to stop him, that her proclamation of love and devotion had not been enough to make him stay.

Sakura lifted her face towards the jetting water, allowing it to blend in with her tears. She needed to compose herself before she faced Ino again.

However, the perceptive blonde resumed her interrogation as soon as Sakura re-entered the bedroom. "Have you been crying?"

"No." Sakura breezed past her, back turned to her as she pulled clothes out of her dresser.

"Your eyes are bloodshot."

"Shampoo," Sakura answered shortly, grabbing her hitai-ate and tying it in place. "Where are we meeting Shikamaru and Sai?"

Ino frowned at her best friend for a moment before deciding to let it go. "Training field four. Let's pick up some cinnamon rolls from the café at the end of the street first though."

"Sure," Sakura smiled, though it didn't quite meet her eyes, and the two girls headed out into the hustle and bustle of an early morning in Konoha.


	23. Departures

Departures

He rushed by countless people, jostling many and receiving lots of tuts, curses and rude gestures. It was unimportant. He had to get to her before it was too late, before the opportunity had passed him by.

Finally, he spotted the sign he had been looking for. 'Departures'. He didn't hesitate, stepping into the crowded lounge. He craned his neck, looking for a head of pink hair.

"Sakura," he called out. A few people turned, giving him strange looks. In desperation, he tried again. "Sakura!"

Then he spotted her. She had poked her head out from near the front of the queue and her eyes went wide when they rested on him. He hurried forward, grabbing her arm and pulling her to the side.

"Sasuke, what are you doing? I'll lose my place in the queue. More to the point, what are you doing _here_?!"

"Don't go," he stated. Not begged because begging was unbecoming for an Uchiha.

Her mouth popped open. She blinked. "What?"

"Don't go," he repeated. '_Please_', he thought desperately.

Sakura's forehead creased and she gazed at him longingly. "Sasuke, I have to go. If I want to go to Med School-!"

"There's a Med School here. A better one!"

Her face changed. He could see the anger and hurt in her eyes. "You know I would rather stay but I have to go to Oto, Sasuke. There's no other way."

Sasuke was still holding her, determined not to let go and not to give up. "We can find a way for you to go to Med School in Konoha. There must be a way. I could help-!"

This time, it was Sakura who cut Sasuke off. "I don't want anyone's charity," she told him, and she stepped back towards the queue but Sasuke held firm. She glared at him. "Let me go."

"No."

"Sasuke Uchiha, you let go of me right now!"

"I can't."

"Stop it," she snapped. "You're behaving like a spoilt child! We don't always get what we want, Sasuke. If we did, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now."

Sasuke glared at her. "You're not going," he stated.

Their eyes locked, engaged in a stubborn glaring contest. He knew it was now or never. "I love you."

Her eyes widened, her mouth popped open and all he wanted to do was to capture those lips with his own.

"Miss, are you getting on the plane?"

The queue had disappeared. Sakura was the last passenger.

"I…"


	24. Let Me In

Let Me In

The sky was dark, the moon hidden by the thick clouds. The rain fell so heavily that the drops bounced off the ground. The figure that approached the Priestess' shelter moved quickly, hammering a fist on the door.

When there was no answer, the man scowled at the door, and knocked once more. He was not known for his patience and he began striking again, unrelentingly.

"Tsunade," he bellowed. "Let me in!"

The door slid open and he glared forward, expecting to meet with amber eyes. Instead, at the bottom of his vision was a pink blur. He lowered his gaze and met with eyes of the brightest green. The two strangers stared at each other for a moment before the girl gasped and bowed low, the top of her head almost brushing the bottom of his chest.

"Welcome to the living quarters of the Eastern Temple," she stated before resuming an upright posture. "Do you seek sanctuary?"

He continued to glare. "I am Sasuke Uchiha."

Pink eyebrows shot up. "Of course, come in," she answered, stepping back. Sasuke bit back a smirk. His reputation preceded him. That was as it should be.

The door slid closed once more. Sasuke had slipped off his sandals but stood dripping in the middle of the floor. He watched the girl scurry to a cupboard, withdrawing towels and handing them to him without a word before darting through another door. He considered her: she wore the robes of a Priestess but looked very young.

"Who are you?" he called to her.

"Sakura Haruno," he heard her answer moments before she re-emerged from the other room, carrying a tray with two steaming mugs and a plate filled with some sort of biscuit he had never seen before. She stopped before him, but he made no move to take anything from the tray.

"Where's Tsunade?"

Sakura smiled. "Lady Tsuanade had to go to the Shikkotsu Forest. I am to look after the Eastern Temple in her absence."

Sasuke scoffed. "You are a child."

The Priestess raised an eyebrow. "Lady Tsunade does not look her years. What is to say that the same is not true for me?"

Finally, Sasuke took a mug from the tray, then knelt on one of the tatami mats. Sakura also knelt, placing the tray on a table between them. Their eyes met and Sasuke answered her. "You don't have the Hundred Healings Mark."

Sakura smiled again. "You are well-informed," she remarked, then added. "I am working on it. I am her apprentice."

They each sipped their tea in silence. Sasuke was relieved that Tsuande had instructed her apprentice to admit him. None of the other temples would allow Sasuke to seek shelter. They feared his volatile chakra.

Suddenly, a strange feeling surrounded Sasuke. It reminded him of an embrace- a sensation he had not experienced since he had lost his Mother. He snapped his head up and looked at Sakura, who was slowly opening her eyes, a placid smile on her face.

He narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Forgive me," she murmured. "You have the most interesting chakra."

'_Interesting?_' He decided that she must be crazy. He had visited every temple across the land, and every Priest and Priestess had told him that his chakra was dark, dangerous, unpredictable. They had all requested him not to return to their Temple, all except Tsunade, but even she had been unable to help him.

The pink-haired Priestess stood. Her robes were so long, he was sure she would trip but she glided effortlessly towards him. She crouched at his side and he turned to face her. She seemed pleased by this and she held her hands out, palms hovering in front of his chest.

"Please," she whispered, "let me in."

He felt as though those green eyes were looking beyond his own; they were looking deep into his soul. Slowly, Sasuke felt himself nod.

She smiled, closing her green eyes and Sasuke closed his too. That feeling returned, the embrace that he had almost not recognised the first time. Then her hands pressed gently against his chest and Sasuke could see it- the dark greys, purples and blues had to be his chakra, spiking uncontrollably in all directions. Yet surrounding it was a serene gold that gradually closed in around the darker colours. Sasuke expected his chakra to push it away yet it seemed to welcome the golden glow, calming as they came into contact with each other.

As he observed, he heard the Priestess speak. "You have a broken soul, Sasuke Uchiha."

Sasuke's heart sank and with his closed eyes, he could see his chakra curl in on itself, like a distressed child, but Sakura continued.

"But I have never met a soul so damaged, it cannot be repaired."

And for the first time in a long time, for the very first time in his adult life, Sasuke dared to hope.


	25. Knots

Knots

He set down the red crayon and lifted his picture up to admire his masterpiece. His knight was fighting a fire-breathing dragon but there was no way that Ser Sasuke would lose! Satisfied with his work, Sasuke stood up and crossed the classroom to his tray so that he could take his picture home. Itachi would be so impressed!

On his way back, he heard sniffling and glanced into the corner. There sat Sakura, wiping fiercely at her eyes. Sasuke frowned and approached.

"What's wrong?" he asked, sitting down beside her.

Sakura jumped and then flushed as she realised that it was Sasuke beside her, before remembering that he had asked her a question. "I'm trying to learn how to tie my laces," she answered, lifting up the shoe she held in her hands, "but I keep making knots."

She ducked her head, ashamed of her admission. Sasuke reached over, slipping his finger into the knot and loosening it. Then he looked at her. "Try again," he encouraged her.

Dutifully, Sakura made a loop with one lace then circled the other lace around it but when she made to pull it through, the laces got tangled into a knot again. She dropped the shoe into her lap, throwing her arms up in the air. "You see," she cried out, and her lip began to wobble.

Sasuke frowned, reaching over and taking the shoe from her. Once again, he untied the knot, then looked at Sakura. He decided he didn't like seeing her sad. She wasn't as pretty when she cried. He glanced around to make sure no-one else was nearby then leaned in closer.

"I'm going to show you another way to do it," he whispered. "The way Itachi taught me."

Sakura blinked back at him, her tears quelled for now. "Itachi?"

"My big brother," Sasuke answered, and there was such admiration in the way he spoke of him that Sakura knew he must be the coolest big brother in the whole world.

Sasuke set the shoe in his own lap, glancing at Sakura to make sure she was watching before turning his attention back to the shoe. Then Sasuke made a loop in each lace at the same time, his actions deliberately slow, looping them around each other to make a bow. He grinned up at Sakura who had tilted her head, eyebrows furrowed.

"I don't know if I can do it," she eventually said, looking back up at Sasuke and worrying her lip. "I might still make a knot"

Sasuke held the shoe out towards her. "Try it."

Hesitantly, Sakura took the shoe back. She gazed down at it for a moment then nodded her head once as she determined to try. She made her two loops simultaneously, looping them around each other…

"I did it!" she exclaimed, holding the shoe out towards Sasuke again so he could see the bow she had made. Her smile lit up her whole face.

Sasuke grinned back at her. He decided that Sakura was the prettiest of all when she was smiling.


	26. Pool

Pool

It had taken an age to get served in the crowded bar, and Sasuke was finally raising his glass to his lips when the blond dropped into the seat next to his with a huff.

Shikamaru smirked. "Did she beat you again?"

Naruto scowled. "That's the fifteenth time I've challenged her," he exclaimed, "and I haven't won yet!"

Across the table, Neji snorted and blue eyes snapped to him. "I don't know why you're laughing," Naruto remarked. "You lost to her too!"

Sasuke set down his glass with a smirk. "You lost to a girl, Hyuuga?"

Pearl white eyes narrowed at Sasuke, though the colour in the Hyuuga genius' cheeks was heightened. "I'd like to see you try, Uchiha."

He wasn't one to back down from a challenge so Sasuke raised his glass once more, draining its contents before standing and crossing the room. He heard the scrape of chairs against the floor behind him as the rest of the guys made to follow him.

Four girls were sat together at a table, chatting and laughing. The blonde one noticed the approaching boy. She whispered something to her friends, and they all turned to appraise the newcomer for themselves. Sasuke stopped beside their table and locked eyes with the girl sitting nearest to him.

"You're the one who plays pool?" he asked.

The girl raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"

"My friend refers to you as the pink-haired chick."

She snorted and rolled her eyes, her friends giggling beside her. Sasuke scowled.

"Fine, that's me," she conceded. "What do you want?"

"I want to play you."

The girl leaned forward, a seductive smile playing on her lips. "I think you'll find that _I'll _be the one playing _you_."

Sasuke smirked, and the girl stood, leading the way to the nearest pool table. Grabbing the cues, she handed one to Sasuke and proceeded to set the table. He glanced back and noted the boys settling themselves at the table beside the girl's friends. It looked as though they wanted a good view of the game.

"Shall I break?" a voice interrupted his musings.

He turned back. She was leaning into the cue, one hand resting on her hip and fixing him with a steady gaze. She was attractive, her long pink locks slightly curled and her black dress flattering her figure, fitted to her waist where it fanned out in a skater style.

"Please," he answered. She walked to the edge of the table, leaning on it for leverage as she struck the cue ball, dispersing the balls on the table.

"I'll take the blocks," she told him, "if that's okay?"

Sasuke nodded his assent, his gaze on the table. He could pot the blue ball easily, so he approached the edge, leaning forward and lining up his shot. As he was about to strike, he became aware of the gentlest of touches on his hip. He tensed just as he hit the cue ball and it hit the ball next to the blue- her block red.

"Oh," she sighed. "That's a shame. My turn."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. She had deliberately distracted him. Then he smirked. Two could play at that game.

She had her head tilted, analysing the table in front of her. She raised the cue, aiming to pot her block yellow but as she went to make the shot, a breath ghosted across the back of her neck. She struck the cue ball with too much force and it bounced across the table and over the edge.

"Oh, what happened?" a voice laced with false concern asked.

She whipped around, locking eyes with him. "What's your name?" she demanded.

"Sasuke Uchiha."

She grinned. "Sakura Haruno," she supplied her own name, holding her hand out. "Nice to meet you."

As the game progressed, the six nearby spectators were getting more flustered by the second.

"Who knew a game of pool could be so _hot_?!" Ino exclaimed, fanning herself with a menu.

"Please," Neji ground out through gritted teeth. "They're making a mockery of it."

Ino turned to him, her blue eyes flashing. "You really must have no sex drive at all, Neji," she drawled. Then a devious smile broke across her face. "Poor Tenten, there really is no hope."

Neji blinked back at Ino before turning his gaze to the brunette to his right, who was staring at Ino with wide, horrified eyes, her face bright red. Ino smirked, turning her attention back to the game, though with a sideways glance, she noted that Neji had inched closer to Tenten, and that the two were engaged in a conversation.

"That was cruel," a voice remarked from beside her.

Ino turned around to note a red-eared Shikarmaru watching the game very closely. The blonde followed his gaze. "What did they do?" she asked, wondering what she had missed.

"I was talking about you. You threw your friend under the bus."

There was a squeak across the table and Ino glanced over to see Naruto laying a hand across a very red-faced Hinata's forehead. She smirked before turning back to Shikarmaru. "I was being a good friend. They needed a nudge."

"And you?" the lazy genius questioned.

"Huh?"

Shikarmaru leaned in until his face was so close to Ino's, their noses were almost touching. "Do you need a nudge?"

Absently, Ino wondered if her face was a red as Hinata's.

Sasuke's torso was pressed against the table as he lined up the 8-ball. Ignoring the hand that traced down his spine- somehow that hand had slipped under his T-shirt- Sasuke struck the cue ball and watched the final ball glide into the pocket.

He straightened and turned, reaching a hand towards Sakura's cheek. "Looks like I win," he murmured.

"Uh-huh," she sighed.

"Do I get a prize?" he asked, leaning down. She stood on her tiptoes, looking at him through half-lidded eyes. Then abruptly, she stepped back, a smile lighting up her face.

"Yup," she answered. "I buy you a drink."

As she walked away, Sasuke watched her go. He had a feeling that their game was only just beginning.


	27. They Never Know

They Never Know

They never know when they will next see each other. His missions are long and arduous, and only he can be tasked with them, what with his unique ocular jutsu.

He is often gone for months at a time, but she never complains. He admires her patience because God knows she has waited long enough already.

Even between his missions, there are times when they have not seen each other. Her shifts at the hospital are long on a good day. If there is an emergency, it can be days before she goes home again. After all, she is Konoha's best medic and there are injuries that only she can heal, wounds that only she can treat. In an emergency, they need her.

After one such emergency, where she had been at the hospital for fours days and had just napped when she could, she returned home to find a note. He had been home for two days. He was sorry he had missed her, but he had another mission and he couldn't stay. She ignored the clench in her stomach, the tightness in her throat. She wouldn't cry- he would hate it if she cried.

He has been gone for six months. She has been at the hospital for sixty hours. She is tired, letting her feet carry her home. She knows she should eat but her bed is the only thing on her mind. She just wants to sleep.

As soon as she opens the door, she knows he is there. She can _feel _it. Her tiredness evaporates and she heads into the kitchen. He is sitting at the table, an empty plate and glass in front of him. There is a furrow between his eyebrows- he is sorry, he is worried- but he doesn't say anything. He doesn't need to. She walks towards him, taking his hands in her own and backing away, towing him along with her.

They never know how much time they will have together so they have to make the most of it, and the Uchiha clan won't restore itself. 


	28. Mirage

Mirage

It was the strange combination of sharp, burning pain in some places, and unsettling numbness in others that drew Sasuke to the realisation that he was dying. With him, his clan would die. The last Uchiha.

Absently, he wondered what would become of his body, his _eyes_. There was no point in harbouring regrets- it was far too late for that. Yet the thought of no-one mourning his passing was somewhat unsettling.

Sasuke released a ragged breath, turning his head to the side and was surprised to see a familiar face looking down at him. Her green eyes shone as she smiled, that special smile that she reserved just for him- one of the hardest things to walk away from all those years ago.

"Sakura," he breathed, and her smile grew. Yet something wasn't right. Couldn't she see how injured he was? She was a medic, wasn't she? The Sakura he knew would drop to her knees, probably crying, healing his wounds and assuring him that he would be fine, everything would be alright.

"Sakura, please…," he rasped.

She tilted her head, a small frown on her face as though his words confused her.

He reached out a hand towards her. "Heal me…"

Still, she didn't crouch by his side. Her smile turned sad and, hesitantly, she stepped back once, twice, three times, her eyes never leaving his face.

"Sakura," he whispered. He failed to notice the lack of solidity to her form, for she was nothing more than a mirage, a figment of his imagination conjured so that the last image Sasuke Uchiha would have before he left this world was the face of Sakura Haruno.


	29. Lullaby

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the lullaby used in this one-shot, 'Song of the Cradle'. I'm not sure who owns it but I found it on google so I promise no breach of copyright was intended. If anyone knows who owns it, I will update this disclaimer to ensure that all credit goes to the right people!

Lullaby

She had been summoned to the hospital at around lunchtime with profuse apologies for the disturbance during her leave. Three Jounin had returned from an S-rank mission and the most skilled medics were required to treat the severe injuries that they had sustained. Personally, Sakura thought it was a miracle that they had even made it back to the village.

It was late evening as she made her way home, limbs feeling heavy after the exertion of the healings that she had performed. When she opened the front door, she called out into the quiet house, "I'm home." Only silence greeted her.

With a frown, Sakura stepped into the living-room and glanced around. The room was empty. Then there was a muffled sound.

'_A canary sings a cradle song. Sleep, sleep, sleep, child.'_

Sakura smiled softly, her gaze fond as it fell on the baby monitor that emitted her husband's voice. She dropped onto the couch and listened.

'_Above the cradle the loquat fruits sway. Sleep, sleep, sleep, child.'_

The first time Sakura had heard Sasuke singing the lullaby to their baby girl, she had thought that she was hallucinating because there was no way that Sasuke Uchiha would ever _sing._ And then without being asked, he had smiled at her almost sadly as he told her, "My Mother used to sing it to me."

Sakura knew how hard Sasuke had worked to move on from his past. He maintained a few gestures and habits to honour Itachi, and to honour the few memories that he cherished from his childhood. Therefore, Sakura knew that the lullaby must have held some significance for her husband.

'_A squirrel rocks the cradle by its rope. Sleep, sleep, sleep, child.'_

She closed her eyes as she listened to his voice, allowing her body and mind to relax after her taxing day.

'_Dreams in a cradle, with the yellow moon shining down. Sleep, sleep, sleep, child.'_

When Sasuke entered the living-room, he was surprised to find his wife asleep on the couch. With a gentle smile, he edged closer, picking up a blanket from the armrest and draping it lightly over Sakura before he sat down beside her. At the shift in weight, Sakura stirred and leaned in towards Sasuke, resting her head on his shoulder. Sasuke dipped his head towards her, closing his own eyes as, through the baby monitor, their little girl's light snores filled the room.

****

**Author's Note: **Apologies for the delay in uploading. A little bit of fluff in this chapter so try and make amends.


	30. Games

Games

The tall building looked like any other office block. However, it was long after regular office hours when the smartly dressed man entered, heading straight to the elevator and pushing the button for the top floor. He tapped his foot impatiently as he ascended, the doors barely open before he stepped out.

There were no long corridors on this level; no desks, chairs or computers. The man was standing in a large open-plan room, the walls made from reinforced glass. However, with no lights on inside and this level far above the streetlights, the stars and moon only afforded minimal lighting.

"We need to talk," he spoke into the seemingly empty room, but he was confident that he was not alone.

However, on receiving no response, the young man scowled into the darkness. "Kakashi!" he snapped.

Still, only silence greeted him. He walked further into the room. "I'm tired of these games," he sighed.

"Games?" a voice asked from the shadows, stilling the man instantly. It had not been the drawling baritone he had been expecting to hear. Instead the voice was soft, feminine…

The sound of high heels clicking on the floor drew his focus. He watched the young woman, probably around his own age, emerge from the dark edges of the room. She too was dressed as though for a day at the office, and had unusual shoulder-length pink hair and striking green eyes.

Despite her casual stance, the man knew that if she was in this building, on this floor, she must have a similar set of skills to his own, so he must remain alert. He glared. "Where's Kakashi?"

The woman smiled at him. "He's out of town on business." They both knew what that meant. "I'm holding the fort. Sakura Haruno." She held out a hand despite the distance between them. When he didn't move, she scowled. Then, quicker than a blink, they moved in unison, levelling their firearms at each other's chests.

The air was tense as they both held their positions, unmoving. Then the woman called Sakura smiled, lowering her gun. "You really are as good as he says. Sasuke Uchiha, right?"

The man only frowned in response, his gun still aimed at the woman. "When will he be back?" he demanded.

Sakura shrugged. "He didn't say," she answered, before continuing, "You shouldn't refer to people's lives as 'games', you know."

Sasuke glared but he lowered the gun. "That seems to be how Kakashi looks at things," he sneered.

Abruptly, he turned away, but her voice halted him once more. "If this is about your latest target, you're wrong." Once again, he heard her heels clicking across the floor towards him. He whirled around to face her but all she held in her hands was a piece of paper.

His angry eyes met hers. "My latest _target_," he hissed, "is my own _brother_."

Sakura sighed. "He is a member of Akatsuki. It is necessary."

"Why me?" he demanded.

"The night that he murdered your parents, he was carrying out a hit," she answered. Sasuke opened his mouth to retort but she held the paper out towards him and continued. "_Not_ for Akatsuki. For _Root_."

Sasuke frowned at this information, taking the paper from her and unfolding it. His eyes went wide.

'_Eliminate the Uchiha clan._"

"This can't be… That would have meant the whole family, including me. He didn't…!"

"Your family were plotting against the Government. Itachi was ordered to eliminate the clan, but he couldn't bare to hurt you. That's why he left. That's why he joined Akatsuki. If he'd only come to Kakashi instead…," she finished distractedly.

Sasuke stared at her. It was a lot to process and he felt sick. "Can't someone else carry out the hit? There must be someone else?" He was surprised to hear how strained his voice sounded.

Sakura fixed him with a sad smile. "Itachi couldn't bare to kill you then. We suspect he would be unwilling to hurt you now. That gives you the best chance of success, Sasuke. It has to be you."


	31. Freedom (Free Prompt)

Freedom

The corridors were dimly lit by flaming torches, but Sakura was grateful for the darkness, remaining close to the shadows as she crept along. She had watched the progress of the candle burning down since he had left for training that morning, as she had done every day, and picked her moment. She didn't know the layout of this base- she had been blindfolded when she had been transported from the last one. However, she had found the entrance with relative ease, hiding once in what turned out to be a supplies cupboard when she had heard footsteps approaching from another corridor, only re-emerging once they had faded from earshot.

Stepping out into the daylight, Sakura raised her arms in front of her face, the marks around her wrists that were sealing off her chakra standing out prominently against her pale skin. She blinked rapidly a few times, allowing her eyes to adjust to the sudden brightness. Then she struck out, knowing that she would have to act fast.

Sakura rarely acted without a thorough plan but then again, she rarely had to act with so little information. She had been in three bases since her capture but, having been blindfolded whenever they moved, she had no way of knowing her location, no way of knowing how near or far help may be. Therefore, Sakura had endeavoured to move as fast as she could until she came across some village, praying that she would find someone who could help her. There were many risks involved- running into enemy ninja or someone all too eager to collect the bounty on her head- but she couldn't stand the waiting. She hadn't put in all those years of intense training to sit by and play the damsel in distress, awaiting rescue from Naruto or Kakashi, or whoever else the Hokage may have sent out to search for her. With or without her chakra, she had to do something.

She moved quickly, heading straight for the nearby trees. She knew that she may need to rely on the cover afforded by the foliage as she made her bid for freedom. She was eager to push forward as quickly as possible, to put as much distance between herself and Sound as possible. Yet once in the depths of the woodland, it was impossible to tell how much time had passed but it didn't feel very long at all when she first felt him nearby.

Her sensory abilities were severely hampered by those damnable seals but suddenly, she was overwhelmed with his presence. Quickly, she moved into the shadows. If she couldn't outrun him, she must conceal herself.

All was quiet and Sakura began to doubt herself, wondering if she was living on her nerves because surely, he wouldn't give up so quickly. Then a voice spoke directly behind her.

"Going somewhere?"

Sakura turned, readying her hand in a fist. Even without her chakra, she was unusually strong, and she might be able to catch him off guard. However, just as she was hoping he would underestimate her strength, she had underestimated his speed. He caught her wrist and pulled her towards him.

"That," he told her, "would have been a _very _bad idea."

Sakura glared at his chest, refusing to look into his eyes because even her prowess in Genjutsu would not serve her well against the Sharingan. She heard his exhale but didn't dare look up. Instead, she struggled against his tight hold.

"Always so stubborn," he muttered, twisting so that he was behind her once more. He raised his hand, ready to do what he had done all those years ago.

Sakura went rigid in his hold. "No," she whimpered desperately. She was surprised when she felt him tense as well. "Please," she murmured. "Not that."

For a moment, they were both still, both silent. Sasuke stepped around to face her once more. He placed a finger under her chin, tilting her head up to face him.

"Will you come back willingly?" he asked, his voice almost soft.

Sakura felt her eyes stinging but she fought back the tears that threatened to fall. "Why?" she whispered.

Sasuke held her gaze but he offered no answer. He turned, towing her reluctantly alongside him. This time, she had no blindfold as they returned to the base, for she was blinded by her own tears.

**Author's Note: **The last prompt for 2019- I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you to all those who have favourited, followed and reviewed this collection- I am so grateful for the support. To all those who guest reviewed and I couldn't thank individually, thanks so much! I have prompts scribbled down somewhere from other years which I intend to explore at some point but I'm going to take a little break first. However if you have enjoyed this, please keep an eye out for the next collection, whenever it may appear. Thanks everyone!


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